Cam Silencer Removal Poll and More opinions on the sound.......

OK,

I have removed the cam silence gears and when I started the bike..... I wasnt quite sure what to expect....... but with the gears removed the "clatter" drowns out my sato H/M at a fast idle. (bike sitting with all bodywork removed)

Someone said I might have put the cams in wrong, I am 99.999% sure that isn't the case. I turned over the engine before ever putting gas to the engine and everything turned over like usual, no banging or ticking sounds (like I am suspecting would happen if the cams were put in 1 tooth off from the correct timing setting) emitting from the engine.

How many of you have removed the gears and not liked the sound or thought that is was to loud?

I ask the above question because the sound is so LOUD!

I ask about the reliability of engine with the gears removed once again, because I have searched and read the other threads on this topic and I am not sure whether or not the ppl are sure that the failure is due specificly from the removal of the gears.

Anyway, I would like to stay away from getting into a debate about this modification, just would like people who have done the mod or know personaly someone who is competent enough to perform the mod and who's bike failed because of this mod.

Thanks in advance

Andy, I still cant understand why people do this mod. It seems that everyone who has done it says the same thing... Its so damn loud!

Nice work on the bike but thats one mod I wouldnt do even if it actually helped performance wise.

It removes weight. it is a toss up if it actually can be linked to failures as the failures I personally know of happened on race motors and there is no way to build a race motor and plan on it being bullet proof.

My 2 cents is it is a mod that adds a lot of noise to an already loud bike. It offers so little benefit I fail to understand the appeal.

My suggestion is to pull the thing down and plasti-guage the clearance in the gears, then in 2 thousand miles recheck and see if you are gaining clearance. I have never heard of anyone doing this check. It would sure give you a heads up.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Thumper5102 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
How many of you have removed the gears and not liked the sound or thought that is was to loud?
</TD></TR></TABLE>

I did it, right before I replaced the engine for cam gear failure.
My personal opinion, is that the mod is a complete waste of time unless your getting paid to ride the bike. The actual performance gain is so small that it's not worth risking reliability of the engine.

BTW: use the search function this topic is right up there with oil and tire recommendations.

5,000 miles, many of them track miles, and zero issues.) I must say that mine wasn't all that loud. I could still hear the Satos over the noise. My buddy's Ducati with a vented clutch cover was much louder.

I agree, they only make noise at idle when the gears are not under load and every dry clutch Ducati I've ever heard makes more noise.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by SpeedKills &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

I did it, right before I replaced the engine for cam gear failure.
My personal opinion, is that the mod is a complete waste of time unless your getting paid to ride the bike. The actual performance gain is so small that it's not worth risking reliability of the engine.

BTW: use the search function this topic is right up there with oil and tire recommendations. </TD></TR></TABLE>

I know that there are NO real gains other than the noise..... which I thought would be nice as long as it does not effect the realiability of the engine and I did use the search function.... I didnt see any replys that told me for sure that the failure was 100% due to the gear removal. I have heard quite a few people who have done the mod without failure...... and I saw you post before about your engine failure due soley to the removal of the gears. Since I do not know your exact situation.......... I took your response with a grain of salt.

I am hoping if anyone else here has had the problem that you had after the removal of the gears.................. That they will Please chime in and share their experiance as well.

The sound isnt as loud since I took the bike away from the cement walls it was right next to the 1st time I started it.

Gordons right,they only spring load the gear against the driving gear to stop the clatter at low rpm,which you are now noticing.Once the gears get spinning ,you'll notice when you slowly raise the revs,the clatter subsides because the momentum of the gears is holding them against the driving gears anyway.Removing them shouldnt affect reliability.
As for cams snapping in race engines,the cure is to use steel billet cams.I still have one set for sale.

Yeah mine has been done for years now without a problem. I probably have 10k miles or more with most of them race track miles.
I think with any motor your going to have a problem for one reason or another. I really don't think its a cause of removing the gears if done correctly.
And as far as gains, I'm not sure if you will feel a change but I know people that will spend over a grand for something that will drop a pound or two.... and this is free.

Also ,The weight is rotating weight,which means it has to be accelerated and slowwed.Shaving reciprocating and rotating weight is definitely going to help performance.

Did mine about 10,000 miles ago........ zero problems. Would I do it again(if I had a New RC51)? Probably. Performance gains are negligible, but I like it.

aces anugal, c7fx, rc51999, dalewrc30

Are your bikes 2002+ or 00-01? I ask this question because I was on the motorush site and seen a post, that the bikes that were breaking the stock cams (with the gears still in tact) were 2002's, the 00-01's didnt seem to have the issue a few ppl stated.

Just wondering if this is true.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by SpeedKills &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I did it, right before I replaced the engine for cam gear failure.
</TD></TR></TABLE>

Question for you Speedkills:
1. What year is your bike?
2. How many Miles did you have on your bike Before you did the Removal of the gears?
3. How many miles did you put on your bike after the removal of the gears?
4. Were you aware that there have been a few 2002 models that the cams have broken on......... with the gears in?

Just asking..... because I though maybe there was a possible link? Is it possible that Honda manufactured Defective cams and they got thru the inspection? I do know that certian and many manufarturers have a batch problem with a part..... but it never comes in as a recall...... but just a technical bulletin, if even that.

Currently my engine has 24,500 miles without ONE single problem.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Thumper5102 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">aces anugal, c7fx, rc51999, dalewrc30

Are your bikes 2002+ or 00-01? I ask this question because I was on the motorush site and seen a post, that the bikes that were breaking the stock cams (with the gears still in tact) were 2002's, the 00-01's didnt seem to have the issue a few ppl stated.

Just wondering if this is true.</TD></TR></TABLE>

2002 here.

2002 with about 25k on the clock.

2003

Mines a 2000. I did it about 3k miles and haven't had one problem. Would I worry about cam problems with the new bikes? no. Would I do it again? Yes

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Thumper5102 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

Question for you Speedkills:
1. What year is your bike?
2. How many Miles did you have on your bike Before you did the Removal of the gears?
3. How many miles did you put on your bike after the removal of the gears?
4. Were you aware that there have been a few 2002 models that the cams have broken on......... with the gears in?

Just asking..... because I though maybe there was a possible link? Is it possible that Honda manufactured Defective cams and they got thru the inspection? I do know that certian and many manufarturers have a batch problem with a part..... but it never comes in as a recall...... but just a technical bulletin, if even that.

Currently my engine has 24,500 miles without ONE single problem.</TD></TR></TABLE>

1. 2002
2. Roughly 16,000
3. Less than 60
4. I wasn't aware of it but even if I was - at the time I was like the guys that post on here asking about removing them..."It won't happen to me".

The odds are in your favor that it won't. But now that I've got 16,000 on my new engine the lash gears are staying in. I don't mean to flame anybody for doing it.(The removal of the cam gears gives barely any gain and makes more noise. If your doing it to sound "cool" go ahead and polish your frame while your at it. ) It's just, most of the people here are street riders/trackday addicts and a few amature racers, right? This is a pretty expensive hobby/addiction, right? So why waste the time of doing the mod or worse yet the bike is down until you have the time and money to fix it. How many trackdays can you get for $1100-1500.


BTW The cam didn't actually break. The cam gear is pressed onto the camshaft and the gear slid off the end of the shaft. I assume due to the added vibration of the lash control gears being removed.


Modified by SpeedKills at 11:55 PM 2/24/2005


Modified by SpeedKills at 11:56 PM 2/24/2005

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by SpeedKills &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">(The removal of the cam gears gives barely any gain and makes more noise. If your doing it to sound "cool" go ahead and polish your frame while your at it. ) </TD></TR></TABLE> Yes, I did it to "sound cool" I am aware the performance gains are marginal at best............ And yes... I did polish my Frame AND swingarm. plus added Gold wheels to match the Ohlins rear shock and hopefully later this year Ohlins Forks

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by SpeedKills &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">BTW The cam didn't actually break. The cam gear is pressed onto the camshaft and the gear slid off the end of the shaft. I assume due to the added vibration of the lash control gears being removed. </TD></TR></TABLE>

That seems to make sense, still not a good thing. I'm thinking it might annoy me since I like to ride a girl on the back I think she would find it objectionable........... time will tell.... I'm going to ride it for a couple of weeks as is (Gears removed) and if It bothers me to much then it should be about 5 hr job to reinstall them.

Modified by SpeedKills at 11:56 PM 2/24/2005[/QUOTE]

there must be more to it than the gear slid off.I have removed and installed the drive gears onto these and my billet cams . I used a 40 ton press to do it and I can tell you it took quite a lot of pressure to get them off.
While I have seen posts on cam breakage, you seem to be the only one to have suffered having your cam gear come off.